Refrigerator door structure



g- .1959 K. P. SCHORY ET AL 2,393,174

REFRIGERATOR DOOR STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r W -49 I \I \l|lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll! INVENTORS KENNETH P.SGHORY MICHAEL TURKO BY JOSEPH. H.KONEFES 1 I %r4 W ATTORNEYS for the reception of foods.

United Sttes atent REFRIGERATOR noon STRUCTURE Kenneth P. Schory, Bensenville, Michael Turko, Waukegan, and Joseph H. Kouefes, Libertyville, 111., assignors, by mesne assignments, to Amana Refrigeration, Inc., Amana, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Application August 29, 1955, Serial No. 530,992

9 Claims. (Cl. 312-295) This invention relates generally to refrigerator door structures.

Heretofore, it has been customary in the construction "of refrigerator doors to manufacture the door shelving tions for the reception of the separately formed shelving or receptacles. In other instances openings were formed in the liners or pans to receive the shelving or receptacles,

-or the anchorage means therefor, and this required, in

addition to the separate forming and assembling operat'ions, sealing gaskets about such openings in the inner liners or pans.

With the foregoing in mind, one object of this invention is to provide a one-piece panel which not only is capable of serving as a door liner or pan, but which is so shaped that it has portions that serve as compartments Thus no additional parts are necessary.

Another object of the invention is to provide a refrigerator door structure having a series of vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, and a vertically movable upright panel having an opening therein normally affording access to one of said compartments and provided at one side of said opening with an imperforate portion normally closing another of said compartments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a vertically movable upright panel provided at another side of the access opening mentioned with an'imperforate portion that normally extends across the lower part of another compartment and serves as a guard rail for articles within said last mentioned compartment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vertically movable upright panel that is carried by and movable relative to tracks on the liner of the door.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the vertically movable upright panel with means for frictionally holding the same in selected positions of adjustment.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of this invention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in "connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Patented Aug. 4, 1959 ice.

Figure 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the vertically movable upright panel;

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sectional views taken along the lines 55, 6-6 and 77 respectively in Figure 4;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of one corner of the vertically movable upright panel and showing one of the rollers and the mounting therefor; and

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken along the line 9-9 on Figure 8.

Referring now to the drawings, A is a refrigerator cabinet having upper and lower storage compartments 10 and 1.1 respectively separated by an insulated partition 12, and provided with hingedly mounted closures or doors B and C respectively.

In the present instance any suitable refrigerant circuit may be employed in the refrigerator, and such refrigerant circuit may include any suitable evaporators (not shown) within the compartments 10 and 11 respectively for cooling such compartments to the desired temperatures.

Our invention may be embodied in either or both of the closures B and C. As shown, the upper closure or door 3 has an outer panel or shell 13, and inner panel or liner 14, and suitable insulation 15 therebetween. Such outer shell and liner may be secured peripherally to each other in any suitable manner to retain the intermediate insulation in place and otherwise to provide a rigid door structure. As shown particularly in Figure 3, the marginal portions of the outer shell 13 are turned laterally inwardly to provide a reinforcing flange 16 which extends continuously around the periphery of the outer shell. The inner liner 14 is formed with a marginal portion 17 which extends continuously around the periphery thereof in substantial parallel relationship to the reinforcing flange 16 and is secured thereto in any suitable manner. A rubber gasket 18 extends continuously about the periphery of the inner liner 14 and is positioned to engage the front wall of the refrigerator cabinet A around the opening to the storage compartment 10 to provide a door seal.

The inner liner 14 is a one-piece panel throughout of any suitable material and of any suitable thickness. In the present instance, such liner, usually called a door pan, is shaped, preferably by a vacuum drawing operation to provide a plurality of vertically spaced compartments 19 to 22 inclusive and an enclosing border frame 24. Although the compartments and border frame aforesaid are preferably formed by a vacuum drawing operation, such elements could readily be produced by other operations, for example by means of any suitable die or press. The border frame 24 is a continuous inwardly projecting open return bent portion or rib of the liner 14 and is disposed in spaced relation to the marginal portions 17.

Additional substantially horizontal inwardly projecting open return bent portions or ribs 25, 26 and 27 respectively of the liner are spaced vertically within and connect into upright opposite sides of the frame 24, while vertically spaced upright portions 25a, 26a, 27a and 28a of the liner are located at and connect into the outer ends of the open return bent portions 25, 26 and 27 respectively and are substantially parallel to the outer panel or shell 13. These ribs 25, 26 and 27 cooperate with the border frame 24 and the upright portions 25a, 26a, 27a and 28a of the liner to form the compartments 19, 20, 21 and 22respectively. Within the compartment 21 and dividing the same into two chambers 23 is a vertically extending rib 28 of the liner.

The lowermost compartment 22 contains a removable crisper bin 29 that is preferably pivotally supported upon upstanding projections 341 of the lower substantially horizontal portion 24a of the border frame 24.

The compartments 19 to 21 inclusive and the crisper bin 29 may be employed to receive any desired types of food. However, in the present instance, the uppermost compartment 19 has a sufiicient depth to receive liquid containers or bottles. Compartment 20 contains an inverted channel member 31 having openings 31a in the top thereof for receiving eggs. The compartment 21 may be used for the storage of butter and cheese. It will be noted that the upper surfaces of the ribs 25, 26 and 27 are slightly inclined downwardly from their inner edges to the upright portions 25a, 26a and 27a respectively of the liner to more securely support articles of food thereon.

An upright panel 32 is provided for the compartments 19, 20 and 21 and is movable vertically relative thereto at the front thereof. Vertically extending tracks 33 and 34 for the upright panel 32 are respectively secured to the upright side portions of the border frame 24 of the inner liner 14.

laterally projecting flange portions 36 and 36a that are attached to the border frame 24 by suitable fastener assemblies generally indicated at 37.

The upright panel 32 includes a rectangular rigid sheet 38 and frame bars 39 and 39a extending along and suitably secured to the side edge portions thereof. Two vertically spaced rollers 40 are rotatably secured by screws 41 to the frame bar 39 at one side edge of the upright panel 32 and are separated by spacers 42 from said frame bar. Rollers 40 fit within and have a rolling engagement with the channel rail portion 35 of track 33. Two other vertically spaced rollers 43 are provided along the opposite side edge of upright panel 32 and have a rolling engagement with the channel rail portion 35a of track 34. Each roller 43 is supported for rotation on a pin 43a extending between and anchored in the legs of a U-shaped bracket 44 which is pivotally mounted on a screw 45 carried by the frame bar 39a. Coil springs 46 encircle the shanks of the screws 45. Each spring 46 is anchored at one end 47 in an opening in the frame bar 39a, and has its other end 48 bearing against a leg of an adjacent bracket 44 to urge the bracket laterally outwardly. Accordingly rollers 43 are spring pressed into engagement with rail portion 35a of the track 34. Figure 8 shows a roller 43 pressed outwardly by a spring 46. When assembled on the door structure, each roller 43 is forced laterally inwardly relative to the panel 32 when such roller is in engagement with the track rail portion 35a and when the rollers 40 are in engagement with the track rail portion 35. The strength of springs 46 is such that sufficient friction is present between the rollers 43 and track rail portion 35a and between the rollers 43 and the pivot pins 45 on which they are mounted to cause the panel 32 to remain in any position of vertical adjustment.

Only slight manual pressure is required to raise or lower the panel 32. For this purpose a handle 49 is secured to and extends along the lower edge of the panel 32'.

Rerferring to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive and Figure 7, it will be noted that the panel 32 has an opening 51 normally affording access to compartment 20 and is provided below and above said opening with irnperforate portions 38a and 38b. Normally the lower imperforate portion 38a of the panel 32 covers and closes access to the compartment 21 containing chambers 22. These chambers 23 normally will contain butter and cheese and are desirably covered by the panel 32 so as to maintain such foods at a slightly higher temperature than other foods in the cabinet, so that such foods may be more readily spread'when used. The upper imperforate portion 38b of the upright panel 32 normally extends across compartment 19 slightly above the rib 25 to provide a guard rail to prevent bottles or other articles or packages stored in compartment 19 from falling out. A suitable trim strip 53 is located upon the outer side of the imper- These tracks have opposed channelshaped rail portions 35 and 35a provided with integral forate portion 38b and is secured to the upper edge thereof.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the opening 51 is elongated and extends transversely across the panel 32. The lower edge of this elongated opening 51 is above the bottom of the intermediate compartment 20, so that the imperforate portion 38a of the panel 32 immediately below said opening 51 serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the intermediate compartment 20.

Access may be gained to the chambers 23 of compartment 21 by merely using handle 49 to raise the panel 32 to the upper position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The friction between the rollers 43 and track rail portion 35a and between the rollers 43 and the pivot pins 45 on which they are mounted is suflicient when the rollers 40 are in engagement with the track rail portion 35 to hold the upright panel 38 in any desired position of vertical adjustment.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved refrigerator door structure in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What we claim as our invention is:

1. In a refrigerator cabinet door structure, an upright inner liner having shaped portions thereof forming a series of vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, two vertically extending tracks respectively secured to said inner liner at opposite upright sides of certain of said compartments, a vertically movable upright panel at the inner open portions of .certain of said compartments, said panel having an opening therein normally affording access to one of said compartments and provided adjacent said opening with an imperforate portion normally closing another of said compartments, and four rollers carried by said panel and engaging said tracks, two of said rollers being spaced vertically apart at one upright side edge of said panel, and two of said rollers being spaced vertically apart at the other upright side edge of said panel, said last mentioned two rollers being spring pressed into engagement with the adjacent track and operable to hold the panel in any desired position of vertical adjustment.

2. In a refrigerator cabinet door structure, an upright inner liner having shaped portions thereof forming a plurality of horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, two tracks respectively secured to said inner liner at opposite sides of certain of said compartments, a movable upright panel at the inner open portions of certain of said compartments, said panel having an opening therein normally affording access to one of said compartments and provided adjacent said opening with an imperforate portion normally closing another of said compartments, and four rollers carried by said panel and engaging said tracks, two of said rollers being spaced apart at one side edge of said panel, and two of said rollers being spaced apart at the other side edge of said panel, said last mentioned two rollers being spring pressed into engagement with the adjacent track and operable to hold the panel in any desired position of adjustment.

3. In combination, a door having three vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a border frame extending about and forming an enclosure for said compartments at the inner edges thereof, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to upright portions of said border frame at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright panel of less height than the over-all height of said three compartments movable vertically in front of said three compartments, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the lower two compartments, the

interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be manually inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, and means carried by said upright panel and engaging said tracks for guiding said panel during vertical movement thereof.

4. In combination, a door having three vertically sp'aced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a border frame extending about and forming an enclosure for said compartments at the inner edges thereof, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to upright portions of said border frame at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright panel of less height than the over-all height of said three compartments movable vertically in front of said three compartments, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above. and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the lower two compartments, the interior of said uppermost comparment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be manually inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, and rollers carried by said upright panel and engaging said tracks for guiding said panel during vertical movement thereof, one of said rollers being spring pressed into engagement with the adjacent track therefor.

5. In combination, a door having three vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a border frame extending about and forming an enclosure for said compartments at the inner edges thereof, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to upright portions of said border frame at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright panel of less height than the over-all height of said three compartments movable vertically in front of said three com partments, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the lower two compartments, the interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be manually inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, upright frame bars secured to said panel at opposite upright side edges thereof, and rollers carried by said frame bars at vertically spaced points thereof and engaging said tracks to guide said panel during vertical movement thereof, at least two of said rollers being spring pressed against the adjacent track therefor.

6. In combination, a door having a series of vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compart ments, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to said door at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright rigid panel of less height than the over-all height of said compartments movable vertically in front of all of the compartments of said series, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment of said series when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the other of said compartments of the series, the interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, and means carried by said upright panel and engaging said tracks for guiding said panel during vertical movement thereof.

7. In combination, a door having a series of veritcally spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to said door at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright rigid panel of less height than the over-all height of said compartments movable vertically in front of all of the compartments of said series, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment of said series when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the other of said compartments of the series, the interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, said upright rigid panel being provided intermediate its upper and lower end portions with an opening through which articles may be inserted into and removed from an intermediate compartment of said series when the upper end portion of said panel serves as a guard rail for said uppermost compartment, and means carried by said upright panel and engaging said tracks for guiding said panel during vertical movement thereof.

8. In combination, a door having a series of vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to said door at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright rigid panel of less height than the over-all height of said compartments movable vertically in front of all of the compartments of said series, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles 'upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment of said series when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the other of said compartments of the series, the interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, said upright rigid panel being provided intermediate its upper and lower end portions with an elongated transversely extending opening and otherwise being imperforate to serve as a closure, said elongated opening aifording access to an intermediate compartment of said series when the upper end portion of said panel serves as a guard rail for said uppermost compartment so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said intermediate compartment, and means carried by said upright panel and engaging said tracks for guiding said panel during vertical movement thereof.

9. In combination, a door having a series of vertically spaced horizontally disposed inwardly opening compartments, a pair of opposed vertically extending tracks secured to said door at opposite upright sides of said compartments, a single upright rigid panel of less height than the over-all height of said compartments movable vertically in front of all of the compartments of said series, the height of said panel being such that the upper end portion of said panel extends above and serves as a guard rail for articles upon the bottom of the uppermost compartment of said series when said panel is in fully lowered position in front of the other of said compartments of the series, the interior of said uppermost compartment being accessible above said panel when the upper end portion thereof serves as a guard rail so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said uppermost compartment, said upright rigid panel being provided intermediate its upper and lower end portions with an elongated transversely extending opening and otherwise being imperforate to serve as a closure, said elongated opening affording access to an intermediate compartment of said series when the upper end portion of said panel serves as a guard rail for said uppermost compartment so that articles may be inserted into and removed from said intermediate compartment, the lower edge of said elongated opening being above the bottom of said inter- 7 mediate compartment whereby the imperforate portion oi 2,331,655 7 Colwill 2 Oct. 12, 1943 Said p e immedifltely below said p n ng ryeg a 2,341,093 Haberstump Feb, 3, 1944 gag the sald 7 2,346,430 Haut ser Apr. 11, 1944 5 2,576,208 Benson Nov. 27, 1951 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,694,906 NOV- 1954 UNITED STATES PATENTS 312 228 2 3 SePt- 1955 1,738,476 Kaye Dec, 3, 1929 mm m May 1956 1 9 02 Stahl Jan. 1, 5 0 2,784,044 7 Kurowski M 7 

